Dodge Ram 1500 SLT Quad Cab
Evolution is a great thing. In 2002 Dodge debuted its new independent front suspension Ram platform with a sleek new body, five-speed automatic transmission, and the 4.7L Magnum V-8 engine. The off-road world responded by mourning the loss of the old solid front axle 360 V-8-powered trucks. Sure the 2002 version was newer, but it was also underpowered and the suspension tuning was way behind what Ford and GM were offering. Four years later, all is forgiven.
The Ram 1500 is back because it has evolved with a new frame, a coilover shock front suspension, a new TRX4 Off-Road package with a decent rear limited slip, and the revised 5.7L Hemi with the multiple displacement system (MDS) that automatically runs the engine as a four-cylinder when under light load to save fuel.
The updated interior, front clip, and chassis make the truck feel fresh, but at the root of this vehicle is a platform that Dodge engineers now have millions, if not billions, of miles of experience with. All you engineers with your "clean sheet of paper designs" can keep them!
The 2006 Ram snuck up on all of our judges and started racking up points from the first time we floored the Hemi's drive-by-wire throttle.
Better suited to the open road than urban life, the Ram 1500 scored the worst in the city and the best on the highway in our judging books. The smooth-riding truck has the power to pass on any hill, and is equipped with a satellite radio and even a rear-seat DVD player to keep the kids happy. Still, it was our last choice for parallel parking, narrow streets, and backing out into traffic.
We'll concede that a four-door fullsize pickup truck is not the hot vehicle configuration for most off-roading. And unlike the Dodge Power Wagon we tested last year, this truck had no locker, winch, or detachable sway bars. Somehow it still managed to go everywhere we took this year's group. Hillclimbs were never a problem and the Ram 1500 had just the right mix of float and control over high-speed dirt roads. In the rocks the Ram 1500 just pushed the smaller stuff out of its way and the only time we ever got it stuck was when it would high-center itself at the top of a hillclimb. We attribute the Ram 1500s success to the right wheelbase, weight distribution, and tires.
Likes
-Solid frame
-Most versatile cargo space
-No deficiencies
Dislikes
-Straps can fall off the tow hooks
-Visibility
-Brakeover angle
Verdict
Evolution improves the breed
| Specifications | |
| General | |
| Manufacturer | Dodge |
| Model | Ram 1500 SLT Quad Cab |
| Base Price | $30,860 |
| Price as Tested | $42,095 |
| Options as Tested | Inferno Red Crystal Pearl Coat paint, Premium cloth 40/20/40 bench seat, front seat cushion storage, Customer Preferred Package 26T (TRX4 off road group, TRX4 badge, 17x8 aluminum wheels, Sirius satellite radio, tow hooks, antispin differential, foglamps, skidplates, P265/7017 OWL on/off-road tires), Light group, Trailer Tow Group, antilock four-wheel ABS, five-speed 545RFE automatic transmission, 3.92:1 axle ratio, 5.7L Hemi multidisplacement engine, rear power sliding window, security alarm, 34-gallon fuel tank, steering-wheel-mounted audio controls, six-CD/map GPS display navigation radio, Uconnect hands-free communication, leather-wrapped steering wheel, LT275/70R17C OWL all-terrain tires, power adjustable pedals, under-rail box bedliner, rear seat video system |
| Engine | |
| Type | OHV Hemi V-8 |
| Displacement (liters/cubic inches) | 5.7 / 345 |
| Bore & Stroke (inches) | 3.92 x 3.58 |
| Compression Ratio | 9.6:1 |
| Induction Type | Sequential, multiport fuel injection |
| Fuel Req. (octane)/Capacity (gal.) | 89 (recommended), 87 (acceptable) / 26 |
| SAE Peak Horsepower | 345 @ 5,400 rpm |
| SAE Peak Torque (lb-ft) | 375 @ 4,200 rpm |
| Transmission | |
| Type | Five-speed automatic overdrive |
| Model | 545RFE |
| Ratios | |
| First: | 3.00:1 |
| Second: | 1.67:1 (upshift); 1.50:1 (kickdown) |
| Third: | 1.00:1 |
| Fourth: | 0.75:1 |
| Fifth: | 0.67:1 |
| Reverse: | 3.00:1 |
| Transfer Case | |
| Type | Two-speed, part-time |
| Model | NVG 243 |
| Low-range Ratio | 2.72:1 |
| Axles | |
| Front Type | IFS |
| Rear Type | Chrysler 9 1/4 with limited slip |
| Hubs | N/A |
| Ratio | 3.92:1 |
| Suspension | |
| Front | Short/long arm with coilover shocks |
| Rear | Live axle, semielliptical longitudinal leaf springs |
| Steering | |
| Type | Power rack-and-pinion |
| Turns Lock-to-Lock/Ratio | 3 / 14:1 |
| Turning Radius (feet) | 46 |
| Wheels | |
| Size (inches) | 17 x 8 |
| Material | Cast-aluminum |
| Tires | |
| Size | LT275/70R17 |
| Brand | Goodyear Wrangler AT/S |
| Brakes | |
| Front | 13.2-inch discs with ABS |
| Rear | 13.8-inch discs with ABS |
| 60-0 (feet) | 180.52 |
| Acceleration | |
| Standing 1/4-mile (seconds @ mph) | 17.17 @ 81.11 |
| Weight (pounds) | |
| Curb Weight | 5,233 |
| Advertised GVWR | 6,650 |
| Mileage | |
| EPA Estimate (city/hwy. mpg) | 14 / 18 |
| As Tested (mpg) | 10.51 |
| Dimensions (inches) | |
| Wheelbase | 140.5 |
| Overall Length | 227 |
| Overall Width | 95.25 |
| Overall Height | 77 |
| Front/Rear Track | 68.25 / 67.5 |
| Front/Rear Overhang | 38.25 / 48 |
| Min. Front Ground Clearance | 9.75 |